Callaway Energy Center Frequently Asked Questions 
 

  • What is the cloud coming out of the Callaway tower?
    • What you see coming out of the cooling tower is clean water vapor, not steam. The water vapor that is produced is not part of the radioactive process.
     
  • When did Callaway start operating?
    • Callaway became operational in December 1984. The NRC granted a 40-year operating license, which is the customary license for nuclear power plants. However, nearly 50 power plants have received a 20-year extension to operate. Callaway plans to file for a 20-year extension in 2011. If approved, the facility could operate until 2044.
     
  • How much electricity does Callaway produce?
    • Callaway produces enough electricity to power 780,000 average households each year. Electricity from nuclear power accounts for 11% of all electricity sources in Missouri - compared to 75% in Vermont and about 50% in New Jersey, South Carolina, Illinois and Connecticut. Overall, nuclear energy provides about 20% of the electricity in the U.S.
     
  • What happens to the used fuel from Callaway?
    • Every nuclear power plant in the U.S. currently stores its own used fuel. Callaway safely stores its used fuel on site in a spent fuel pool about the size of a tennis court. The U.S. Government is exploring a national repository for used fuel underneath Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
     
  • How many nuclear energy centers are operated by Ameren companies?
    • Callaway Energy Center is the only nuclear energy center among the companies' 15 generating facilities. Callaway is the second largest power producer on the Ameren Missouri system producing 19% of the company's electricity.
     
  • How many people work at the facility and where do they live?
    • Callaway employs nearly 1,000 people, including contractors, with an annual payroll of approximately $100 million. When the energy center is refueling, hundreds of additional contractors are on site adding nearly $20 million to the payroll.<br><br> Most of Ameren Missouri's full-time employees working at the Callaway live in Callaway, Cole and Boone counties. However, more than 100 employees reside in 24 other Missouri counties.
                 
callaway, nuclear plant, nuclear Callaway FAQs, Callaway questions, Callaway frequently asked questions, callaway plant
 
 
Follow Us